Those Abandoned Still Shine
by Aerex
Summary: Aisha finally wakes up. Now, to start their recovery! Magical Girl Style! Warning: Don't be misled! - 3rd Path Story
1. Those who wake

Atop her knees, which lie bare to the sheets beneath, Eve's small hands caressed the object of interest, from behind. The object of which, illuminated by the meager rays expressed from the setting Sun, spouted from a shirtless man, who struggled to move not as a sense of awkwardness and hesitancy filled him. For one thing, he was still coming to terms at the fact, she, a Nasod, wasn't out to kill him. Ignoring it—him, she continued; her interest quipped at him, unintentionally leaning more unto the man.

Slowly, her brows arched as she fumbled with her brain as to what to do next. However, her hesitation only lasted but a second, which felt like an hour to her partner. Ghostly, her fingers traced lines only she could see and understand. Amidst it all, her costumed upper body continued to rub against the male's rough back.

…It wasn't until he flinched harshly to a certain touch did she gasp in pride.

She noticed _not_ a spark traveling up her arm, as she parted from him.

"There, it shouldn't 'cramp' up anymore. _You_ … You shouldn't overheat as much as you do, Raven." As per her usual, she stated the obvious, drawing nothing from the body she had once touched so intimately. She stood aback onto her knees, contemplating whether she was going to get a response. At least, a simple, gruff "thank you" would suffice.

After a few moments of silence, she decided enough was enough and made her way to leave, a sigh drying her throat.

A hand latched out to her wrist.

"You're human."

She stiffened.

"I—"

The grip tightened.

"You're **human**."

Raven could've swore he's seen her open up one of her own arms, seen her glass eyes sheen, seen the way she's analyzed everything around her with the ", but that didn't explain the beating of a heart. It wasn't the churning of gears or the soft humming of being a Nasod. That was something he has heard from her body in the few times they were simply that close, and he couldn't believe it. His trained ears weren't lying to him, but she _was_?

The facade shattered.

"…R-Raven, you're hurting me."

Immediately, he let go as if he was slapped. It wasn't because he was, in fact, hurting her. It was because he never delved in the thought that Nasods could lie. It was never one of his thoughts. _It_ … He looked up from the hand that had once gripped her to the reddening of her wrist.

— _Something_ had changed, but he had no idea what, how or why.

"Who _are_ you?"

She couldn't meet his eyes as they bore into hers. Instead, she turned tail and ran.

' _No one was supposed to find out._ '

Raven frowned at a thought, staring at the door with little focus.

A little whisper escaped him, "' _We all have our own secrets._ '" Like his own, hers were beginning to fall apart.

* * *

\- [:|: Break :|:] -

* * *

A weird sense of consciousness rushed over her, opposing to the dull feeling of all her physical senses but one.

"It's still weird talking… like _this_ ," she could _feel_ the familiar voice scratch at his head in embarrassment. "I still think it's stupid to be talking here," again, she could _feel_ his movement as he turned back, then back, continuing, "Stupid Rena telling me to come here when I could be training." A sense of uselessness overcame her, "Big Sis isn't… combat ready either…"

The stare he gave her…

"It's not the same, ya know?" There was a dull feeling to her knees as Elsword got onto his, after reaching her bedside. "Sometimes, a week feels so short, but this one felt like a month." His voice cracked, "Big Sis is hurt pretty badly, and Chung blames himself." Her own throat dried and her body rose in temperature, "I'm— I'm trying so hard, ya know? To live up to my sister's shadow, to convince Chung it… it wasn't his fault, to… to stay strong— _Ugh_ , I'm just rambling," a wet sensation overtook her metaphysical arm. "Its not the same…" he trailed off.

"Aisha… I—you wouldn't mind if I res…"

It was then that she realized why his sensations felt so dull to her.

'… _Just how is he even awake?!_ '

"Ugh," the sudden soreness of her body filled her with disgust, as she tried to so hard to refuse her body and it's desire to stretch, else incur the probability of waking a boy who grown used to fighting. Succeeding with little joy, she was thankful for her upper body and head being propped up. "Too bad he's only cute when sleeping."

"Oh."

Again, displaying masterful control over her body, she did not flinch. "H-Hey Raven." She couldn't stop the small smile tugging at her parched lips.

"Hey."

His voice came out much quieter than what she expected. However, that she could understand, as she watched him approach her.

* * *

\- [:|: Break :|:] -

* * *

Rena gasped in delight as she finished up. ' _Simply exquisite_!' The juices that filled her body had sent a shutter of bliss up her spine, and she couldn't help but squirm, riding it out. Releasing the hard object in her hands, she looked at her handy work.

"I hope Chung will cheer up…" While food wouldn't necessarily cheer him up, she hoped it would have him look fondly upon the traditional Hamel dish in remembrance. It wouldn't do him any good to forget; she, of all people, would know. It would at least reinstall his reason—his "heart" …At least for his safety and those around him. And perhaps, he'll stop researching all by his lonesome, all day, everyday.

' _Breaks are as important as the actual work after all!_ '

 _Then_ , there was the whole mess between Raven and Eve, _mostly Raven_ , but they were coming together nicely! Although, she couldn't read his mind, a lot of the aggression he once held had begun to fade, and no longer had Eve played the passive-aggressive role—which may be due to her… new code, but still, it was a good thing! She would miss the cute little curious thing that was once was Eve though… and with a smirk crawling onto her features, Rena shook her head. Every once and a while, a "glitch" would appear~

 _How cute for her to deny her emotions!_

To her, Nasods were just another sentient race. They were, after all, another construct from the Gods. For all their computations, there are somethings math, science, and all that stuff couldn't explained …Emotions were one of them.

A memory flashed through her mind.

She frowned, "Now, I'm making myself a bit down…" Patting both her cheeks, she cheered herself, "At least one of 'us' has to be happy!"

After all, Elesis was still recovering, in a coma and being her brother, Elsword was endlessly worried ( _if not the rest of them_ ), regretting some of his final words to her… even if he didn't actively show it, straining himself in his training with Conwell. Aisha, on the other hand, was in a similar state akin to Elesis' but it could be argued that Aisha had it worse. It, of course, furthered Elsword's resolve to train.

" _Stupid girl_ …"

Sooner or later, their group was going to fall apart. It was a group she help to found, a group that she watched grow faster than any of her kin, a group she had come to care more than she did her own family. It wasn't as if she didn't have the same resolve as Elsword either. For how _goofy_ she was acting earlier, she only allowed to be like so, alone. Otherwise, she was beginning to become as stiff as Raven could be, as she threw herself at the aforementioned male, honing her skills with Erindil among other things. It happened so naturally that reverting would require her to give up her life's quest.

A sad sigh left her. She let her hand drop from the mixing spoon to her side.

She didn't know what to do.

Such a fact hit her with the force of Elesis' legendary swings. It went as far as to cause her knees to buckle under the pressure as those swings had once done.

She could remember the helpless look Elsword gave her when their closest companion _fell_ , when he feared losing his sister for the second time, when Eve consulted her about giving up her emotions, when Raven confessed the pain she brought by simply being around him.

Her "mysterious" age couldn't prepare her for this. By the Gods above, _all of them_ were still in one piece and alive. However, that only furthered her— _their_ —want, wish, _need_ to repeat such feats, which only grew more difficult as they traveled. Each of them threw themselves at training—each of them unforgiving to their own bodies as they began to fail.

Thinking of others but themselves was crippling, but each one of them were selfless. A fault, while innocent in nature, was the opposite in practice. Selflessness encouraged lone-wolf plans; she wasn't above such a observation either. Selflessness encouraged self-sacrifice, the worst sacrifice possible in most cases. In most cases, it could be prevented, diverted or thrown out the window without even being thought of. From a strategic standpoint, it was a loss of a human resource. During these times, any resource was a key asset. Worse of all, it drew out only negative emotions that simply took too long to recover from.

…They all knew what was happening. At the same time, they all decided to ignore it.

The boy, Elsword, only knew "lead by example." Even so, he was only a naive boy, who taken arms to prove his worth, had begun to learn how the world treated it's community. Taking sudden responsibility upon his own shoulders, he figured getting stronger, no matter the price. He was going to become the next perfect example of a "good" heart going down the wrong road…

Aisha… _bless her heart_ , only could convey her compassion in ways she had developed on her own, and in Aisha's callous environment, it was one of the greatest hearts the elf has seen. However, faced with their current situation, the purple-haired hair was as lost as she was… nevermind the fact, she currently was inactive.

Raven was but a broken man _still_ gathering his shattered body, mind and heart. She's seen even "stronger" men fall to things that fall short in comparison to his past. The only things he has left is his virtues… which lie on a fine line.

Chung was just the "cutest little thing" forced into war. As shown by his fighting style, he wasn't quite ready to face it head-on. Nevertheless, he only did so because, like Raven, the young but strong boy wasn't quite ready to conform his ideals to the unfair world around him for it was more important than his own person.

Eve, a person of more secrets and a colder shell to break than Raven, was a simple creature, in nature. She was as curious as a child with wide eyes but as smart as some of the Eldest of Elven. As any child, they picked up the habits of those around her, whether anyone wanted her to or not.

The last addition of their group, a young woman of legend, was simply a young woman hosted upon a pedestal. She had enough—a late rebellious stage if one had to say—even if she had done so for the greater good. However, in doing so, misfortune and blood had began to become Elesis' norm, so much that her nature had neared taken a 180 degree. Under it all, Elesis still carried some of her old self, unable to give up, whether it be her life, or the lives she cared for to the terrible world she had just barely survived… only to end up bed-stricken again.

…Not like she could criticize them.

Nonetheless, there… there was still some time. A sad, but nonetheless, proud smile brought her back to her feet—only to realize there was someone behind her.

"R-Raven—?"

His serious features softened and that had stilled her to silence. He approached her, allowing a similar smile Rena had to overcome his lips, "Aisha is awake."

The elf gasped, "R-Really?"

His lips curled into a smirk, "Have I ever lied?" He withheld his frown, coughing into his hand, "Could you call Eve down?"

Rena shook her head, disapprovingly, "I thought you were beginning to make up with her."

"… _I_ \- Something happened earlier today." The scar-ridden male gave a weak, apologetic smile, "I don't think she'll want to see me…"

"All the more reason to go see her yourself, but fine, I'll go _this_ time, Raven."

In return, he bowed his head slightly, before making his way to leave, "Sorry to bother you with that… I'll go get Chung."

"Wait!" She reached for his Nasod arm, "Where's Elsword?"

Raven could only grin and wave.

At that, she could only laugh.

* * *

\- [:|: Break :|:] -

* * *

Chung sighed, contently, as he relaxed against the cold wood of his chair. He had finally made his balls grow! His research has even extended the duration they could last before they'd burst!

A knock resounded suddenly, followed by a familiar gruff voice, "You in, Chung?"

Quickly, the prince hid his balls, and made himself presentable before he responded with a tense edge, "D, Do you need something, Raven?"

"No, I don't," the black-haired man said simply, before opening the door.

In doing so, he was greeted with the sight of Chung's flushed cheeks, liquids dripping from his seat and silence.

"E-Er," the timid boy started, "my balls are… uhm…"

Raven felt his brow twitch ever-so-slightly, "Do you even— _no_ , of course not; nevermind."

"Uh." The blond squirmed, feeling the liquid soak his pants.

Amused, Raven shook his head, before softening his voice, "Aisha's awake, ya know?" Chung's eyes widened, and sought to stand, but Raven held him down with a hand to his shoulder, "Before you rush off and embarrass yourself, go get another pair of pants."

Shaking his head for the second time in the conversation, he left—just as Rena with Eve in tow were making their way through the same corridor.

The former mouthed, 'You better make-up with her,' followed by a finger across her throat and a sadistic smile. In return, he gave a vigorous nod. With that, the elven descendant continued on with a little hop on her steps.

And so, in the path of Eve, he stood. "Ev—"

She took one step closer, before looking up to him. "You're in the way." Her expression wasn't quite one of annoyance.

At the distance, he could hear the familiar humming of a Nasod. He matched eyes with her; two shades of gold not quite glaring at one another.

"I trust you, Eve."

A scoff came as quickly as it was halted.

"A change of heart? Simply over one fact you _decided_ to be true?"

She was calling him a hypocrite.

' _Ironic._ '

"Did you even realize your words?" Before he looked off to the side, mildly embarrassed, "And, I had actually come to trust you some time ago— I just…" She didn't let him continue his train of thought as she decided to drop the whole conversation and go around him.

"Eve," a hand, again, struck fast to attach itself onto Eve's arm, "tonight at 1, the graveyard."

Eve wretched her arm free, "You _should_ despise me." Raven couldn't get a read of her face from his angle.

"—Note to self: fix head leakage…" The blond blinked as his door shut behind him. "Oh, hi Eve!" Then, he turned towards Raven, "Sorry for making you wait for me."

"Hi Chung," was all she said before walking away.

"It—It was nothing."

And so, they began walking.

"…I know it's bad to eavesdrop and it's not my place to say but," the Hamel prince stopped in his motions, "her giving up her emotions was a way to appease you, I think."

' _Why is he saying something from long ago—_ '

A bitter laugh left him, "I changed my arm for a similar reason." Raven gave him a glance, "It's not something you need to worry about." Gesturing to his mechanical arm, he continued, "The only thing you need to worry about is your comrades, and yourself." Turning away, he began walking too. "You shouldn't worry everyone… Elsword isn't in the right mind to tell you that."

Chung shook his head, before he held his head up. "Sorry!" His apology contrasted with his bright smile.

* * *

 **Aes** : …April Fool's would've been the perfect date to post this, but before I realized, I couldn't.

Editing:

* * *

 _Notes I made to myself throughout the writing process_ :

Aisha takes it upon herself to cheer the group up. Via Magical Girl stuffs

Immortal = Mundane MC  
Metamorphy = Sailor Moon (there's a meme reasoning that falls deep somewhere)  
Twilight = Kaze no Stigma's Kazuma  
Nova Imperator = Isekai-gone-wrong MC  
Code:Sariel = Plastic Memories' Isla  
Centurion =  
Shatki = DxD's Yasaka + a hint of innocence (how that survived thru the plot, I have no idea)  
Bloody Queen = A yandere missing a love-interest  
Mad Paradox = …Honestly, I'm just tired of hearing of his HA and whatnot. Sorry to say.  
Diangelion = Scary.  
Prime Operator = Fem Iron Man. (Not Iron Heart)  
Herrscher = Wannabe Death-reincarnate, I suppose.  
(Oversimplified summaries of what I think)

Third jobs as a whole = "edgy" _**af**_.

Let's change that, ne? …Although, if you're coming for jokes and humor, I don't think you're in the right place.


	2. Those who can't change the past

Raven, before he left to get the others, had shifted her, as per her soft request. Beneath her back, neck and head were pillows that elevating her upper body so she could talk with everyone without them surrounding her bed so closely so she could see them. She feared being suffocated by their goodwill. That and being surrounded again, and while they weren't walls, it still made her remember her last moments before plunging into the water. Besides, she didn't want to disturb Elsword. She had left him where he was; a bit too close to her lap, but she didn't mind.

Aisha couldn't help the smile that rested upon her gentle expression as she played with Elsword's red locks. In some places, it was a deep dark maroon; in one place just behind the right ear, there was complete blackening. It was as likened to the red gold that flowed through all their veins as it was spiky, messy and as "Elsword-y" as ever.

' _Silky too..._ '

She combed his bangs back.

She knew what he hid. He told her when Rena had decided a punishment was an order due to their constant bickering. And so, the fearsome Elf tied their wrists together with "an ancient Elven artifact": a green vine that glowed a soft gold. It would only loosen if its two captives came to a mutual understanding of one another. For all her knowledge, she hadn't come up with a way to prematurely break the curse. ' _It took a day for me to give up..._ ' A sheepish laugh left her. Usually, she was more stubborn.

While she wasn't sure what the boy had learned about her, something had changed in his demeanor. They decided to just sit and reach that "mutual understanding."

Gingerly, her fingers brushed the smooth discolored tissue.

Even after his death, Berthe still haunted Elsword in the forms of phantom pains and emotional distress. For all his bravery, arrogance, and strength, his first meeting with the fearsome demon commander instilled two quests upon his flimsy shoulders. The first one was the most obvious: he was to investigate how and why the demons were in Ruben, which evolved to encompass all of Elrios. The second quest, dubbed as "Defeat Berthe," was one he had completed—in part. He defeated Berthe. Yet, Elsword even confessed to her that the fear imparted onto him hadn't been forgotten. Berthe still lingered.

That all, however, was countered by his _stupid_ heroic mindset. At 13, he was willing to die, if it meant slowing down the demon almost four times his meager height (she blissfully sighed, remembering how she would tease him), no matter how meager of a difference. To him, every second counted, even if his only goal at the time hadn't been met. It still hasn't, not that she knew of.

The person named "Elesis" wasn't the sister he had so fondly spoken of.

She shook her head. 'What do I know?' For now, she'd assume not, even despite her only increasing hatred for that woman.

At 13, all she wanted was to do was making her family proud by regaining her stolen powers and bringing her family heirloom back. All so she could become a Great Sage. She had come to learn titles were meaningless. She wasn't satisfied even the family who she sought praise from were…

She was not willing to give up her life. Sure, to be a mage was a path ridden with life and death, but she was ignorant to how close her dance with death would be. Knowing isn't the same as experiencing, after all.

However, a boy almost two years her junior had come to understand his life for anoth—for _many_ others, was more than worth than living another day to fight. _He's selfless like that..._

The last mission imparted to him by the experience was that he needed to save others. After confronting the demon, the redheaded boy was defeated in an instant. However, instead of facing a crushing defeat, the demon retreated. His forehead bled, his head spun and his body was starting to shut off. His survival, after all, was but a fluke. For all the grandiose version stories of the fight—most of which were spun by him—it only sunk and covered his true feelings over the eye-opening experience deep within his heart. He wasn't as honest with himself as he was with his thoughts, sadly.

And yet, like her and others around him, he was tiring—perhaps, the most. Or perhaps just as much. Well, not as much as herself, at least. Her problems and goals were vastly different from the rest of the group. To her, her own goals still weren't as selfless or honest.

And then, there was that whole matter between him and his sister, who always arrived too late to help with the storming of the bridge.

 _Something changed this last time..._

She shook her head, lightly, mustering a smile. Unlike the young man before her, she wouldn't dwell into the past but she wouldn't forget.

Her smile widened slightly. Besides, he looked a better this way. She could imagine him with his hair back, the scar marring his forehead, his eyes and lips smiling. Sure, every once and a while, he'd have his "cool" moment—

Furiously, she shook her head.

Her smile sank until it distorted into her infamous small sad smile. She couldn't fool herself.

She shouldn't be moving in her stressed and weakened state. Her mind was still reeling from the experiencing the powers and effects of time and space—dimensional magic, a type of ultimate magic.

It bounded two separate strains of magic together. Instead of limiting a magician's power at the immense stress of two magics—like the realm of "normal" magic such as branches of elemental magic and invoking the Laws of the World to bend and distort—it tore the limit off. Time and space, incomprehensible to those who lack dimensional understanding, were dependent of one another. If anything, it was harder to change one while the other remained still. In some cases, it was impossible. In many cases, the time and space magics intertwined with one another to the point where changing one without the other was simply nonsensical and counterproductive.

However, to grow mad with power was a near absolute prospect for two reasons. The most forward reason was that it was almost near limitless power. With that said, absolute power corrupts absolutely. The second reason came in torture. Why wouldn't a person with limitless power not conform the world into their own ideals with unlimited retries? Falling to temptation with changing past, while innocent, was devastating, but there was always trying again and again. And again, _again._

 _Again._  
 _And ag-_

She forced herself calm before she started hyperventilating in remembrance. She had already experienced both "bad ends," and got off lucky.

It was a miracle. The arrow that had broken the luscious time barrier she chanted within, barely missed a vital organ, striking a lung, and had lost most of its power after breaking said barrier. That power loss had saved her. Although, the fall from where she floated above the water was sure to kill her. Even if she didn't drown, being in a comatose state would be close enough to scar her the same way as if death had touched her.

Before that, she had undergone the scenario for the first time. _Raven had blown up himself alongside the bridge, acknowledging what he called expendability_.

Then twice, preventing Raven's sacrifice. _Eve's_ core _\- Eve's human heart had failed_.

That twice became three and Eve was alive next to Raven. _Chung…_ confessed _to being the best bomb he's made..._

Too busy fretting over the past, she forgot about the others, and watched them slip away. Time couldn't return the soul. Space couldn't drag it back. The knowledge she gained from self-discipline wasn't sufficient, even with almost all the time in the world. To her, her mana container was to blame. It wasn't enough.

It had to be something wrong with _her_ , after all.

And so, with God-like power, she never felt so powerless before.

...She couldn't bring herself to die until she watched everyone else first.

Unlike Elsword, she had only driven herself so far because she had the power and knowledge to stop the siege of the Velder Bridge. Where her friends— her family stood behind the gates, yelling for her to stop, like she had done on multiple occasions in failure.

Like Elsword against Berthe, she had steeled herself for her own death. She rushed off against her leader's orders, ready to throw every bit of mana she carried—that included the magnificent amount stored within her near royal blood—to snap them out of existence. And she had nearly done so.

She could remember distinctively how close she had been, how her blood began to literally burn and boil within her, how her memories began to flash in the split-second before her last few mystic words.

She wasn't as selfless as he or the rest of the group.

 _'Selfless… or self-sacrificing?'_

Nonetheless, she didn't belong.

A wet sensation over her trembling hand brought her back to reality. Elsword was crying a little in his sleep. She's only seen him cry once before. He had matured a lot through their journey, despite his rebellious personality. He was less rash, stubborn and much more like the leader he wished to be—like the leader she knew he could be. Although, his confidence could do a little shaving, to say the least.

 _'I sound like one of my aunt's recalling the past…_ ' She stifled the bells in her throat with a smile.

Neither of them would expect him to evolve into a young man who would come to embody a sword in almost every way. He was sharp in ways that still stump her (despite his bedrock denseness). He served two purposes: fulfill his given mission and protect his comrades. He served them more than satisfactorily. She'd never tell him. Not yet anyway… even if she could simply revert the world just _a little_ , so she could see his reaction… But that was cheating.

A giggle bubbled in her throat as she realized she was mindlessly playing with Elsword's spikes alongside her thoughts. He didn't let anyone touch his hair—except for Raven for a reason she still couldn't understand.

 _The idiot must be out like a snuffled candle fire if he didn't react to all my caressing—_

She flushed. Her word choice was rather intimate.

"— _Oh_?" A certain Elf couldn't help but slip a noise of astonishment from her lips. Archer had caught the Witch with her hand in the cookie jar that was the Dark Knight's mane. She couldn't afford to give the blasted Elf anymore strange ideas!

And so, Aisha misunderstood the noise.

"H-He just kinda passed out here."

"I see." The greenette's demeanor stiffen, withdrawing interest. "For what it's worth, Aisha… I'm mostly glad you woke up." She moved to prepare some herbs and allowed herself to hum.

Rena had effectively killed the conversation.

Those words sucker-punched the mage. She didn't know what to say. 'Mostly glad?' Surely, there was no bad intention in the Elf's words… right? Her hand twitched as she resisted the overwhelming urge to replace her hand upon Elsword's hair was overwhelming. However, she was much too stubborn to seek such intimate comfort in front of others.

 _I haven't been paying much attention..._

Rena was weird. Becoming a Nightwatcher had slowly changed her to become something she wasn't. So much in fact that the Rena that sang, laughed and smiled was rarely ever present. Aisha couldn't fathom why. She couldn't recall anything that hasn't hinted at the change. She couldn't recall anything that'd change her so much.

 _...Is she planning on leaving?_

Dread swallowed her. There was no way—not after all of _this_.

The people that surrounded her, she could barely recognize in some ways. Many of which weren't simply negative either. Raven, for example, embraced Nasod technology, otherwise his bane, to aim his rage to—ok, it wasn't that great of an example. Nonetheless, in all the negativity, there was a silver lining. Not everything was dark, dreary or, _the El Lords forbid_ , edgy…

She felt the need to glare at the bo— _man_ before her.

The door clicked closed.

"H—" She coughed, "Hey Eve!" The post-coma patient pushed her thoughts away, playing off the rasp in her throat. _I must reassure them that I'm just tired!_ There was no space for bad thoughts, not at a time such as this.

She wasn't weak.

The Nasod's expression gave no perceivable emotion, "Hello Aisha." Walking up to the opposite side of Elsword, she scanned the tired young woman.

"I-" Rena's hum disappeared. "I'm totally fine now—"

…Raven and Chung entered, only to hear a slap then deafening silence. It wasn't hard, overly red or loud. It has just enough force that it was essentially nonexistent compared to the emotional aspect of the action.

"E-Eve?"

"Nine percent." The pale robot paused, as if expecting a question. "Nine percent chance to recover and use magic again." Aisha didn't give a response. "Twenty-five percent chance to wake up under a month as your ruined mana veins try to return even twenty percent of their usual strength." She looked away. "You were beyond idiotic." Her true feelings didn't go unheard.

The appointed girl looked down, slowly drawing her hand from the rebellious mane. " _I_ —" Her voice cracked. She heard movement before a gentle hand tapped her exposed shoulder.

Chung gave her an innocent smile, "Here." It widened to see her gulp down the water in such a vigor, she almost choked in realization. "Welcome back, Aisha."

 _At least one of us doesn't look so grim…_

"Thanks, Chung." She tried to sound cheerful before she glanced to Raven, who gave a slight smile before pulling out a book. Hanging out from within was the string of her cherished pendant.

"Since you'll be bedridden for a while."

"T-Thanks again."

All the attention was getting to her. She shouldn't be awake, but she wanted to so desperately tell them, a certain redhead especially, that she'd be fine.

 _Don't worry please…_

Her head swayed, as her eyes became unfocused. The pounding in the back of her head finally reached an ultimate state of being: omnipresent.

" _Aisha?_ "

Her hand clenched against another's but she released them a moment later.

 _Darn his groggy voice..._

"You don't look so good, Aisha."

 _Stupid Captain Obvious—I'm_ fine _, Stupid..._

His hand squeezed back before it left.

* * *

\- [:| Break |:] -

* * *

Elsword broke the silence. "I'm going to check up on Sis." With that, he made his way towards the door.

Eve turned, following in step, "I shall come along." The redhead didn't say anything as he held the door open for her. And so, silence returned.

Only after a few minutes of fiddling with various utensils while her hands glowed, Rena spoke up from the far end of the room, "I got it from here, guys."

"You sure?" Chung removed the book from Aisha's person, placing it on the nightstand.

"...I'm changing her clothes."

Chung choked. "I-I'll leave you too it then!" From the looks of it, the boy wasn't sure whether to run or walk away. He assumed Raven would be leaving too.

The last occupant besides herself, Raven, turned to her. "...Yes?"

She stifled a small laugh. "We're not going out tonight?" The Elf placed the clothes down, and moved to fill a basin.

He huffed, "Don't word it like that."

She dipped a towel within the basin with a smile spilled across her teasing expression, "That wasn't a yes or no." Around him, she couldn't help but let go. Something about him forced it out of her.

 _Even if after all those years..._

"Yes, we're not going to murder anyone in the dark of night."

"S-Sorry." She knew he didn't mean to strike a sore spot. "You think... they'll hate us if they find out?"

He sent her a glance. "You worry too much." Those words towered over her. At the same time, she knew he was apologizing, silently. It was more-or-less his fault that she was dragged in, or so he thought. Nothing she could say would make him think otherwise. "Try not to eavesdrop tonight."

She pouted but couldn't hear him leave.

' _I still can't figure out how he can do that with such a clunky arm..._ '

He wasn't wrong. Only he could figure out how much it hurt her to see Aish—the group so distressed, so broken. "I- I'm not a child anymore..." She knew she shouldn't be emotional, shouldn't be blaming herself, shouldn't be crying, even if out of relief.

Children don't kil— _murder_ for the greater good.

Her feet carried her to Aisha's side. Her hands glided over Aisha's face, before brushing her messy hair away from her forehead. A small whisper ghosted into the room, "I'm so glad..." Then, a wet towel met Aisha's virgin skin. A part of her would still prefer the world didn't require the sacrifices of children, no matter how idealistic.

A part of her knew that part of the world wouldn't ever change.

She left with a blessing humming in the air. Seeing and feeling the limp in her step, she looked both ways out the doorway, before drudging herself to Elesis' room.

'I hope you can forgive me for lying once more, Chung... Krav— _Raven_.'

She would never tell him. She has always been a liar—always was, always will be. What was another hundred years after all?

* * *

\- [:| Break |:] -

* * *

"No change?"

Eve blinked and turned towards the standing redhead. "You overestimate medical science and the power of Dark El." Again, her eyes went unfocused as she stared off into space.

' _Could've just said you don't know yet._ ' Elsword frowned slightly before he knelt at his sister's bedside. ' _One up, one to go..._ '

Every so often, she'd twitch and the "shadows" on her arm would flare, retracting to their resting state—just as the twitch returned. He took her hand and the shadows reacted immediately. Crawling down from her body, they sought his body through the physical contact. And, he'd let it. Anything to relieve her burden, anything to repay her, ' _...anything for the person who raised him but ran out on him like the ones who should've._ '

With that thought as a trigger, more sinister thoughts tore out from the depths of his heart, as the shadows sought to devour his being. However, they failed as a metaphysical purple hand grabbed him.

* * *

" _El- Elsword?_ " He swore it was his sister's voice... from years ago. "Elsword!"

"...Aisha?"

"Who else, you buffoon?"

" _I-I_ ," his voiced cracked, "I can't see." However, he was thankful for the fact he wasn't alone.

Her voice was one of bewilderment. "O- _Oh_." Soon after, a pressure turned him. "...Y-You're," Giggles spilled from her lips, "such a big baby! Open your eyes!" With a " _boop_!" to his nose, he could feel his face. That also made him realize he couldn't feel anything else.

He focused on it, forcing himself to blink. It didn't work. He tried to force his eyelids open. It didn't work. He tried—

" _It's okay._ " Aisha's voice was so close. "It's okay." A pressure moved him again. He felt like... he was sitting. Something so mundane felt like he was experiencing it for the first time in a totally new fashion all together. "I've never seen blind eyes so blue." A giggle echoed in the silence he finally noticed after all his panicking.

He couldn't help but ask, "where are we?"

There was a pause.

"I don't know, but it's okay." He didn't voice his thoughts—or rather, he didn't need to. "I don't know much else either." He felt the lie but didn't say anything. There must be some reason for the lie after all. "Sorry." She didn't elaborate. "But, you shouldn't be here."

 _I love you._  
 _I love you._

"Y-You need to leave this dream."

 _I lo—_  
 _"Go-_ Go already!"

He could feel the embarrassment filling them both. 'A dream, huh?' Then again, Aisha wouldn't dare be that cute, "booping" his nose and all... It didn't help that she was only wearing a thin nightie and undergarments. Although, he wasn't sure how he knew but his imagination was more than enough.

' _Damn my hormones..._ '

' _By the forsaken El, I wish he could just confess_ ,' she thought as he faded away.

* * *

Gasping for air in his Nasod prison unsuccessfully, Elsword's bloodshot eyes flashed open in panic. He matched the calculating calm eyes of Eve before he crumpled to the floor, released. "What's your," he gulped for air, "fucking problem!"

Eve flinched, before irritation radiated from her being, but her voice conveyed none of it. "I was protecting myself," she gestured to the surroundings, "and your sister."

He took in his surroundings. Conwell was hanging from the ceiling. Traces of swords and battle littered everywhere but Elesis' bed and Eve's general vicinity. To one side of Eve, there was Oberon; on the other, a severely injured Ophelia, clutching an arm that was severed and battered as if used as a blunt object—one not unlike a bat—against Elsword's barrage.

He went to apologize, only for the door to slam open by Rena. Following her was Raven, who rushed in with just a towel on. Both of which were battled-equipped.

" _By the El, you're fast_ —a towel?!" Raven simply grunted. "Right, right. What happened?" Rena's tone matched the authority of a War General. It was no misconception that Rena was technically the leader of the group. Elsword was more of the figurehead—their public speaker and commander (hard to imagine sometimes) when given extra forces.

" _T_ \- It was my fault."

Looking to Eve, who simply nodded in what Rena could only imagine as shock, Rena frowned. People like Elsword don't just lose control... Although, given his growing affinity with Dark El, it was bound to happen. In all her lives, she's never seen anyone overcome Dark El. It was simply too negative for anyone, including demons. Legends such as Elesis were a fine example how even the mightiest could fall in their prime; never mind the examples in her "past" lives.

However, they needed it. It was too powerful to not go left unused.

But, why now?

Rena was so lost in her thoughts she didn't notice Raven assisting Ophelia as Oberon tidied the place, and the other two fellows stared awkwardly at her. Well, technically just one, but Rena would always imagine Eve as a normal girl. _A girl can dream... So can Eve... right?_

Her gaze removed itself from Eve, "Elsword, let's talk."

"Eh," the said young man looked to Raven, who shrugged in turn, "okay."

They left.

' _...She needs to stop leaving me alone with herself or otherwise_.' Raven glanced to Eve, before being promptly ignored by said girl. Instead of sighing, he said, "We can talk now, if 1AM is... inconvenient." If she agreed to talk now, it was a plus as he would be able to sneak in the night. Either way, Raven would put his comrades, no—frien— _family_ before anything else.

"It _was_ inconvenient and something forced upon me."

She didn't say she wasn't going to go.

He glanced away from her. "I can just forget about all of that, if you'd like."

"Raven." They matched eyes. "You forget nothing." There was a lack of reaction and her irritation grew, changing her approach. "Do not assume only you know of your late night missions with Rena." Still, nothing came from the war veteran as he replaced a splintered chair. " _I_ -" She stopped herself. Rena's secret wasn't hers to share, but the thought reminded her of something else. "You sleep dreamless nights, if you can."

There was the flinch she was looking for.

"I am the one who puts the blanket over you as and made sure you didn't get robbed in the forest while you sleep- or worse!" Her facade shattered, and frustration broke the dam while an unseen fury laced her voice. "Rena asked me to. I did it for her, not for you." Her right hand twitched. "I _hate_ you."

"I put on a show and never allowed it break. I did everything in my power to convince everyone." Her eyes glared spitefully, "Suddenly, hearing a beating heart from a person who you deemed shouldn't be trusted made you think rationally?" Her hands became fists. "Eve is dead; died centuries ago. She, my best friend, gave her life for me. To repay it, I, an immortal sovereign princess, took her throne and mantle, running away from my own country."

"And you _dared_ to spit on her."

"E—"

Her wings boomed to life.

"Be quiet!" Venom laced her near whisper. "She taught me compassion, taught me how to be a leader, how to be better, to be human." Her fists dropped, feeling very much drained. "I don't think I want to be that anymore."

Elesis rose from the bed, audibly, causing them to freeze.

She glanced to her shoulder, watching her loose shirt dip pass her now exposed shoulder, "Quite funny with your human appearance, human mistake, your childish words of a little _human_ girl." She finally turned towards them, "You are a girl who tried to be something you're not for too long. Who's to fault?" She blew a strand of hair, absently. " _Maybe your parents_..."

"You never grew up, even if you thought you did." Her lazy but unsettling eyes analyzed the both of them. "Stubborn to the bone, kept to yourself, conforming to an image." She sighed, "Not like I can say anything." The blanket slid down to her lap. "Grow up or get out the way."

She removed the blanket from herself.

"And _you_." Raven's claw caught knife of sinful making. "I recognize you now." Her eyes narrowed as the bloodied knife evaporated. "You made Dad leave... _leave, leave… leave_." Her eyes wandered, until she got a great idea. "You need to _leave_ too, okay?"

Raven's claw glowed blue in preparation.

As if that was a trigger, the room exploded in forbidden magic and untamed fire with Eve caught in the crossfire.

* * *

 **Aes** : _Well, honestly, even after allowing a bunch of people read over this for me, I'm still not satisfied. Nonetheless, thanks a bunch, Luna (I'm calling ye out) and others!  
Is there any confusion?_

 _As always, I wish you all a nice day. See ya._


End file.
